The outer third of the sun is a seething mass of gas, which rises to the surface like bubbles in boiling porridge. At the photosphere, where temperatures reach around 5,700 degrees Celsius,photons fly free — and from there they reach Earth within 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, above the sun's surface, the temperature decreases to a minimum of 3,700 degrees Celsius. And then something strange happens.

Curious case of the corona

As you move further out into the corona — the fuzzy fringe you can see peeking out from behind the moon during a total solar eclipse — temperatures can reach several million degrees.

Despite the fact we have sophisticated models, remote sensing observatories and spacecraft that observe the sun 24/7, we still don't know why this happens.

And sometimes, that release of energy is so great that material is spewed far out into space as a CME.

"We don't understand how CMEs are triggered," Dr Wheatland said.

"And we'd like to understand it because it is important to predict when these events will occur, because of their impact on space weather events."

So-called "space weather" — geomagnetic storms caused by the interplay between the sun and the Earth's magnetic fields — can produce effects ranging from beautiful aurorae at our poles, to the destruction of telecommunication systems.

In carving her own path to the top of the political game, Julie Bishop has learned to be as bold, confident and skilful as anyone in Parliament — traits all on display in a cutting final speech, writes Annabel Crabb.